The homeowner said Siau kicked away the 18-pound Pekingese-dachshund mix named Gizmo before shooting him. The homeowner said there were small bite marks on the officer’s pants but it is unclear if the assault broke the skin.

A lawyer for the sheriff’s office says the plain-clothes members of the child support unit will undergo animal training and will be armed with non-lethal weapons such as a mace, a baton or Taser.